In collaboration with the wonderful Amanda Sherlock, a wedding and special event planner based in the UK and one half of Gilles Sherlock Event Design, I took care of the French logistics of a boutique destination wedding in a stunning Bastide in Isle sur la Sorgue at the heart of the Vaucluse region of Provence. The wedding was the union of a bubbly blond Brit and a tall, dark and handsome Belge based in London’s soho district. 50 friends and family flew over from Belgium and the UK for the occasion which took place in a huge Provencal stone-walled manor house down a country lane in the middle of the Isle sur la Sorgue countryside.
The bride and groom arrived on the Monday before the wedding which took place on Saturday 28th August 2010 and spent a weeks holiday with their nearest and dearest, relaxing by the pool and enjoying intimate dinners prepared by the villa’s private chef; a young charismatic Canadian called Ryan.
Guests arrived the eve of the wedding and stayed in small hotels, cottages and B&Bs in the local area in and around Avignon and Isle sur la Sorgue. A welcome dinner was held in Le Verger des Papes, a fabulous restaurant well-loved by the locals of Chateau Neuf du Pape. A jazz band entertained guests during their traditionally Provencal feast.
On the big day, taxi transfers brought the guests to the property for a 4pm Pims reception in the courtyard by the fountain followed by a 5pm wedding ceremony under plantain trees in the property’s gardens conducted by Revd. Peter Massey of Ark Pastoral Care. An informal ‘help yourself’ BBQ dinner was served in the gardens by the pool which was followed by dancing and drinking back in the courtyard.
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Heirloom Potato Salad
Varieties of Potatoes with confit shallots, crispy pancetta and sprinkled with garden chives
Brown Rice Salad
Brown Jasmine rice salad with roasted summer peppers, grilled eggplant and zucchini, fresh basil, fleur de sel croutons and local olive oil
Green Bean Salad
Mixed Greens with Green Beans, Mustard Vinaigrette and fines herbes
Spit Roasted Lamb
A Local Lamb Roasted over a spit, carefully basted, served with a lemon and roasted garlic salsa verde
Swordfish Kebabs
Kebabs of swordfish, spring onion bulbs and orange, coriander pesto
Halloumi Kebabs
Fresh Cheese Kebabs, cherry tomatoes, black olive tapenade
Grilled Chicken Breasts
Grilled Chicken Breasts marinated in shallots, sun-dried tomatoes and thyme
Grilled Rib Eye Steaks
Grilled rib eye steaks with mustard braised cippolini onions and arugula
Fresh Fruit Salad
A selection local seasonal fruit & Madagascar vanilla bean crème fraiche
Wedding Cake
A croquembouche wedding cake (profiteroles stacked in a pyramid, covered in dark caramel and a layer of dark chocolate nappage)
If you would like to enquire about my wedding planning services in Provence or on the French Riviera, please do not hesitate to contact me by email or by leaving a comment below.
Located at only 20 minutes from 
The large 550m² main terrace haply named the ‘Toit du Monde’ or ‘Roof of the World’ offers panoramic sea views looking over the exclusive Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsular and can accommodate up to a maximum of 400 people in seated dinner and 600 people in standing cocktail formation. A marquee fits comfortably on the main terrace which, out of season, would provide a perfect solution to stay warm and protected against the elements. The Terrazzita is a secondary terrace which is often used for the pre-diner drink at a wedding reception before a seated dinner on the Toit du Monde terrace and has a capacity of 100 people standing or 50 people seated. The Vista terrace, a smaller terrace with a capacity of 80 people standing, is hidden slightly from view amongst the trees and is an ideal place for a wedding ceremony underneath a pergola with chiffon draping. The area around the main swimming pool and the beautiful gardens with romantic fountain both can fit 100 people comfortably standing and are ideal for pre-dinner drinks.
